Ironing board and support therefor



March 3, 1953 R. POLL 2,629,950

IRONING BOARD AND SUPPORT THEREFOR Filed June 24. 1949 2 SHEETSSHEET 1INVENTOR.

Ra PolL Mia 4 444 di'ys March 3, 1953 POLL 2,629,950

I IRONING BOARD AND SUPPORT THEREFOR v Filed June 24.' 1949 2$HEETSSHEET 2 27 7 6 zzvwszvrozc By Ray Poll 2 8 Patented Mar. 3, 1953UNITED STATES ZPTE OFFICE 1 Claim. 2

This invention relates to improvements in ironing boards and supportstherefor.

An ironing board of the type under considera tion is shown by my priorPatent No. 1,909,891, granted liay 16, 1933. The board of theconstruction therein shown was provided with a single leg that served asa support for the board in conjunction with a suitable support, such asa shelf, a step ladder or the like to which the leg clamped the boardfor support in a horizontal position. The lateral or rocking movement ofthe board resulting from transverse strokes of the iron tended to causethe board to creep forwardly which made it desirable to use positivemeans for locking the board to the support.

One object of the invention is to provide means that interlock when theboard is placed in engagement with a support for preventing accidentalseparation of the board from the support.

Another object of the present invention is to provide improved means onthe lower side of the support which cooperates with the adjacent end ofthe board for reducing lateral movement of the board relative to thesupport and thus providing a stable structure when the board and supportare in operative position.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved support for anironing'board of the type above referred to that can readily be attachedto available wall areas in kitchens or laundry rooms of a home at aposition or in positions where the board is to be used.

An additional object of the invention is to provide an ironing boardadapted to be supported at different elevations whereby the board can beused optionally by a person in a seated or a standing position.

Other objects of the invention relate to various features ofconstruction and arrangement of parts which will be apparent from aconsideration of the following specification and accompanying drawingswherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view, partly in section of a board of thetype mentioned shown in operative position with a support in the form ofa step ladder;

factory board is provided.

Fig. 8 is a broken view of the support;

Fig. '7 is a broken elevational view illustrating an adjustable leg ofthe ironing board;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken on line 8-3 of Fig. '7.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 3, the board structure comprises an ironingboard generally indicated by the numeral as and provided with a slot I lat the rear end portion of the board. To the under surface of the boardare secured two leg supporting members 12 spaced apart a distancecorresponding to the width of the slot I l and with their adjacentvertical faces in substantial alignment with the respective verticaledges of the slot. The members i2 are secured rigidly to the board ii byany appropriate means such as by screws 93 or with screws and glue.

A leg l4, preferably of wood as shown, extends between the rails and ispivotally attached to the rails H! by means of a bolt lb or the like.The leg can be folded or turned on its pivot for disposition along thelower surface of the board for storage, packaging or shipment but whenin use the leg occupies an oblique position as shown in Fig. 1. In theoperative position shown, the upper end of the leg extends through theslot H whereby a right angle notch it formed in the upper end portionwill contact the forward vertical edge and adjacent portion of the topsurface of a support H which is shown in Figs. 1 and 2 as being the topstep or shelf of a step ladder, indicated generally by numeral 18. Therearward end of the board it, as shown in Fig. 1, extends beneath theshelf ll which is gripped between the adjacent portions of the leg andboard by the shear action afforded by the pivotal relationship of saidmembers. Downward pressure on the board beyond or forwardly of thepivot, as in the act of ironing, increases the gripping action resultingfrom the weight of such forward portion of the board and hence the boardtends to retain itself in engagement with the support during use. Bylifting up on the forward portion of the board the same is released fromengagement with the support as is apparent.

By the provision of improved stabilizing means that inhibits lateralmovement of the board relative to the support during ironing, a moresatis- It will be seen that if the board can rock sidewise with respectto the supporting shelf under the impetus of an iron that is movedcrosswise of the board, for example, the board may tend to creep awayfrom the shelf and require repositioning to avoid collapse unless meansfor locking or latching the board to the support are provided. Positivelocking means heretofore were considered desirable to avoid theseparation of the board from the support. Such locking means, in theform of a bolt and nut, or the like, when used, was to some users anannoyance, and a simpler latching means is incorporated in the improvedboard which avoids the annoyance mentioned.

For the purpose of stabilizing the board with respect to the support,the latter is provided with confining members on the lower surface thatrestrain the board against lateral movement relative to the support andthereby provide a more satisfactory board and reduce the creeping actionof the board above-mentioned that sometimes has caused the board to moveaway from the support when latching means were not employed. The membersmentioned include, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, a pair of side railsl9, I9 secured to the lower surface of the support I1 and spaced apartsufficiently to snugly accommodate between the same the rear bifurcatedend of the board In as shown in Fig. 2. The rails I9, l9 are shown inthe form of metal angle members having the forward vertical edgesslightly flared outwardly and united by a rear rail 2|] against whichthe rear edge of the board normally abuts when the board and support arein operative relation. In addition to members I9, I9 and 20, thestabilizing structure includes a guide member 2|, shown as of angularform, that is attached to the lower surface of the support adjacent theforward edge thereof. The guide member 2| not only is of convenience inplacing the board in operative position by the guiding action that itaffords in directing the rear end of the board into the confining spacedefined by members I9, I9 and 20 but it cooperates with the lattermembers in preventing side sway or lateral movement of the board withrespect to the support I1. The guide member 2| may, if preferred, be anangular metal piece of the width of the slot that will serve the guidingpurpose mentioned although in the form illustrated the guide and slotare arranged to provide the latching function above mentioned.

The slot II of the board III as shown is provided with a notch ornotches 23 which receive the upper wide portion 2Ia of the guide 2| forattaching the board to the ladder or other support. The lower portion2|b of the guide is narrower and of a width to be freely accommodated inthe slot I whereby the portion 2 lb and slot ll cooperate in guiding therear end of the board into position in the seat defined by the abutmentmembers I9, H! and 20. In placing the board in the operative positionshown in Fig. 1, the

lower end of the leg 14 is permitted to rest on the floor and the boardproper is tilted clockwise (as viewed in Fig. 1) to a position whereinthe slot accommodates the narrow portion 2|b of the guide as the rearend of the board is moved under the step or shelf I'I. At the positionwherein the notch 23 will receive the wide portion 2|a of the guide, theboard is turned to horizontal position wherein the rear end of the boardwill be in contact with the abutment members and the leg and board willexert a clamping action on the shelf H.

The arrangement just described latches the board to the support or shelfand prevents accidental separation of the board from the shelf and theabutment members, embracing the rear edges of the board, restrainlateral movement of the board under impetus of the sliding action of aniron moving crosswise thereof.

In removing the board from latched relation with respect to the supportI1. it is only necesabout the pivot I5 for lowering the rear portion toeffect release of the portion 2|a of the guide from the notch and thenslide the board forwardly.

For the purpose of enabling the board to be employed at two elevations,that is, the upper position shown in Fig. 1 where the user wishes toiron in a standing position as well as at a lower elevation where theironing can be performed in a seated position, as on a chair, forexample, the leg I4 is shown as being adjustable as to length. As shownin Figs. 7 and 8, the leg is provided with a metal sleeve 24 secured tothe lower end portion Ma of the leg and slidable along the upper portionto provide telescopic action. A threaded keeper or stud 25 is shown inFig. 7 adapted to extend through an opening in the sleeve and into athreaded bushing 25 in the leg proper for retaining the sleeve and legin the extended position of maximum length Where the board is to be usedin the higher elevation. When the sleeve is slid upwardly along the legto fore-shorten it, the keeper 25 is passed through a second opening 2!in the sleeve 24 and into the bushing 26 for retaining the leg parts inthe fore-shortened relation. The keeper 25 preferably is provided with athumb or finger piece 28 for convenience in turning the keeper into thebushing. Other means may be provided for enabling the leg to be adjustedas to length to enable it to cooperate with a support for retaining theboard at the desired level as will be apparent.

For the purpose of enabling the improved board to be employed in a lowerposition where a step ladder I8 constitutes the support, a step 29,shown as the second step in Fig. 1, is provided with a guide member 2 Iwhich is similar to guide member 2 I. The lower surface of the step 29likewise preferably is provided with abutment members l9, I9 and 20',similar to the members I9. I9 and 20 attached to the top step IT.

The improved board may be used with nonladder type supports wheredesired. For example, in Fig. 5 is shown a support 30 of a type adaptedfor removable attachment to a bracket that may be secured at aconvenient location to a wall, door, or the like. The support 30 shownin Fig. 5 comprises a vertical panel 3| which may be of sheet metal ofthe proper gauge and a horizontal support 32 secured thereto or forminga part thereof. Secured to the forward face of the panel 3| is acombined brace and latch member 33 shown as comprising a pair of anglemembers 34 secured to the panel 3| and having upper flanges 35 (see Fig.6) that may be attached to the support 32 for rigidifying the latter.The combined width of the flanges 35 preferably is no greater than theslot II of the board Ill. The forwardly extending flanges 36 of theangle members are recessed at 31 to receive a latch bolt or plate of abracket structure 38 shown in Fig. 4 when the support has been insertedin position in the bracket.

The bracket structure 38 comprises a rear plate 39 that is adapted to besecured at the proper elevation to a wall, door, trim, or the like of akitchen or laundry room. Secured to the plate 39 is a channel shapedmember 40 providing a receiving pocket 4| into which the panel 3| of thesupport 30 may be inserted, an open slot 42 accommodating the forwardmembers 36 whereby the recess 31 is disposed forwardly of the forwardplane of the member 40. When in the position stated a latch plate 43 canbe slid through the slot 31 into a keeper 44 for retaining the support30 against upward displacement.

The support 30 can readily be removed from the bracket when not in use,thus leaving only the relatively flat bracket structure 38 attached tothe wall, door or the like.

The support 32 is provided with a guide 45 similar to guide 2| andpreferably also with abutment members 46, 46 and 41 similar to theelements 19, I9 and 20 shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

The support 32, when in position on a bracket provides an adequatesupport for the rear end of an ironing board of the form shown inFig. 1. A householder may have two brackets at the elevations requiredfor using the board I0 at either of the two elevations above mentionedfor ironing in a standing or a seated position where the board isprovided with the adjustable leg above described.

The improved ironing board thus is adapted for use with a portablesupport, such as the ladder illustrated in Fig. 1 or with a stationary,but preferably removable support, shown in Fig. 5.

By reason of the supports described, the board may be used at either oftwo elevations and when attached to a support is latched thereto againstaccidental disengagement, although it can be released from the supportmerely by upward tilting of the forward end of the board as describedabove.

The ladder I8 preferably is provided with a transverse strip 48 thatextends beyond the legs of the ladder for restraining sidewise tiltingof the ladder during use. The central portion of the lower edge of thestrip 48 is relieved to provide two feet at the ends of the strip whichmake contact with the floor, thereby providing for better stability ofthe ladder against lateral rocking action.

While I have shown structures that are illustrative of my improvements,various changes in the details of the disclosures may be resorted towithin the spirit of the invention defined by the appended claim.

I claim:

In combination, an ironing board provided with a leg pivotally connectedthereto and extending therethrough and cooperating at the upper end withthe rear end portion of the board to provide a clamp for engaging ahorizontal support, said board being provided with an open slotextending longitudinally from the rear end thereof for accommodatingpivotal movement of the leg, and a horizontal support for the boardprovided with a depending guide member having a lower end portion of awidth slightly less than the width of said slot for guiding the rearportion of the board into support-engaging position and having an upperportion of greater width than said slot, and a transverse notch in saidboard communicating with said slot for accommodating said wider portionof the guide member when the board is in support-engaging position forrestraining end-wise displacement of the board from said support.

RAY POLL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 684.399 Deschambault Oct. 3, 18991,185,099 Howard May 30, 1916 1,246,749 Joiner Nov. 13, 1917 1,671,881Barrie May 29, 1928 1,909,891 Poll May 16, 1933

